Mandatory Family Violence Training required for ALL mediators in the State of Texas who mediate cases involving the Parent-Child Relationship

The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 539 during the 2017 Legislative Session. Senate Bill 539 revises the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code regarding qualifications of mediators who handle disputes involving the parent-child relationship. The Bill went into effect on September 1, 2017, and mandates that all mediators that handle disputes involving the parent-child relationship obtain an additional “four (4) hours of family violence dynamics training developed in consultation with a statewide family violence advocacy organization.”

If a mediator has not completed the family violence training, the mediator would no longer meet the qualifications to be appointed as a mediator in a dispute involving the parent-child relationship.